Something Stronger than Love
by NightsOfDarkness
Summary: For years their routine has always been the same. She makes tea, he comes over and after a short lived conversation World War 3 starts. Things change up when Valgaav far from being an egg decides to join in on the fun!


Filia would have been lying if she said that sending Valgaav off to school didn't wrack her nerves but she knew as he got older he had become more of a handful. It was nearly impossible to watch him while running the store. His curiosity sky rocketed in the past few years, always asking questions and getting into things. He needed to be integrated with other children and learn new things.

"School will be good for him." She reassured herself as she washed her tea set.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" the familiar voice of the Mazoku chimed.

"Gah! Go away! I'm already stressing about Val, I don't need you to add on top of that!" Filia barked, her tail shooting up from under her dress.

"Now, Now, Filia we wouldn't want little Gaav to see you in a tizzy before breakfast, would we?" Xellos chided, wagging that annoying finger.

"DON'T call him that!" the golden dragon fumed. He always knew just the right buttons to push. Of course he would associate her child with the traitor of the monster race. Valgaav didn't seem to have any memory of his previous life and she didn't want anything that might trigger him to remember. While silently cursing the namagomi, Filia hadn't realized Valgaav tip toed his way down the stairs and into the kitchen with her and Xellos.

"Morning Mister Priest." Val yawned, trying his best to climb up on to a chair at the kitchen table.

"Good Morning!" Xellos replied while leaning back in his chair. He watch in amusement as the young dragon tried his best to climb the chair. The boy's legs were just too short to give him the proper leverage he needed. Despite his multiple failed attempts, Xellos admired his tenacity. _'Something he gets from his mother no doubt.' _

"Xellos please help him!" Filia said, partially asking and mostly ordering. She didn't know she had broken his train of thought but she was more concerned about Val hurting himself, with a chair no less. Filia would have helped her son if it wasn't for the fact that she was trying to finish breakfast.

"He almost has it." Xellos replied, not really paying attention to Filia but making sure Valgaav didn't fall. He never cared much for him when he was an egg. In fact he used to purposely drop him before catching him again, just to get Filia all riled up. However after he had hatched and turned into a functioning, talking creature, the little tyke grew on him, much like his tyrannical mother.

"He's going to hurt himself!" She huffed, getting ready to lunge the moment she saw his chair teeter.

In a swift motion Xellos easily caught the boy and his chair as it almost toppled over. He could have gone in for round two in annoying Filia but he had his fill, for now. The boy also looked tired from his little struggle and could probably have used some food.

"Careful now, champ. You don't want to miss school now, do you?" He smirked.

"Thank you Namagomi." Val smiled.

"Valgaav!" Filia stifled a snort rather poorly as she watch the Mazoku twitch with annoyance. She came over with plates filled with pancakes and syrup, to serve.

"Kids these days." Xellos grinned, glancing at the golden dragon. He wondered if he could sneak in a smack to the back of the kid's head before she got to him. She was holding food, so you could argue that her hands were full. He also took notice that one of the pancakes was plain while the rest were filled with chocolate chips. _'What's this? Dear Filia did you actually take into account that I don't like sweets in my food?'_

"Momma likes to call you that." Val said playing with his fork. His mother placed his breakfast in front of him and motioned him to eat.

"Indeed she does." His attention turned back to the small boy, taking his seat as he went. Just as he thought the priestess put down the plain pancake in front of him.

Filia felt an overwhelming sense of pride as she looked on. Valgaav was so in tuned with his surroundings. Rarely anything got pass him and he would always be quick to point it out, unintentionally knowing he could never be scolded for the things he said.

"Momma says it with love; it turned from an insult to an endearment." Val continued, never looking up from his plate as he stuffed his face. He probably never felt that he had to; for being six he wasn't blind to the antics in the kitchen. His mother HAD to have liked this man. Why else would she keep him around? "Wouldn't you agree?"

Except for that; for that he could get scolded, perhaps a brutal tongue lashing.

Xellos could hardly stop himself from smiling; in fact it took everything in him to not burst out laughing. This kid was really something. He leaned in, elbows propped on the table, taking another glance at Filia; this time his eyes were open.

She didn't mean to look at Xellos and she regretted it when she did. His amethyst stare was like his own gravitational pull. She felt so naked and vulnerable. Not to mention she was standing way too close for comfort. Had she known that her precocious child would say something like that, she would have been standing back at the stove. How could Val say those things? Surely he didn't think that his mother was in love with some monster that slaughtered her race. Then again she did love Valgaav so terribly and her race slaughtered his. She couldn't stand his gaze any longer and she couldn't even bare to think what that Mazoku would say to her son. With as much dominance she could muster, Filia changed the subject. Although she knew both Val and Xellos would never fall for something so obvious, she prayed, to whatever god that would still listen to spare her this moment. "Why don't you get ready for school Val? You don't want to be late."

The boy took his cue with no resistance and padded his way upstairs. Xellos however was not as forgiving as the young dragon. Staring after his new amusement toy, he made sure Valgaav was out of the battle zone before he was ready to strike. He was going to enjoy this new onslaught of misery and he wanted to savor every drop. Round Two. Like a snake surrounding his prey, Xellos wanted to make sure Filia was nice and bundled by his coils before squeezing. Filia on the other hand was now almost regretting the Val's absence. Maybe that was the only thing keeping Xellos tame…

"I think you may have some competition for my new play toy." Xellos chuckled, walking around Filia as he sized her up. He could tell from the bulge under her skirt that she had not forgotten to arm herself with her trademark mace. Not that he would mind if she decided to wield the metal armament. He never knew if it was intentional or not but she always showed a generous amount of thigh whenever she reached for the damn thing. Although for a dragon, her human form had a flawless physique, one that could definitely contend with Zelas.

"Don't be silly, he's just a child. Things fly out his mouth all the time." Filia said trying to brush off his comments. She didn't like the way he circled around. She could feel his eyes everywhere. She needed to stop that. Filia locked eyes on the table and made it her current mission to clear it and clean up. If she kept busy maybe she could make this conversation go faster. She gathered the dishes and made a beeline for the sink. Once there she threw on the faucet and started to scrub.

'_Oh how cute, look how she runs. Doesn't she realize all she did was root herself to be caught?'_

'_**To be caught? Or to take a stand?' **_

Xellos took a minute to think about that last thought. Filia always did have a knack to go down guns a blazin'. Maybe it would be more entertaining to just go in for the attack. Without wasting any time the Mazoku teleported behind her and trapped her between both his arms as he gripped the sink in front of her.

"Indeed, things do fly out of his mouth. What was the word he used again, Filia? " He pressed his lips to her ear. He could feel her tense up and with such close proximity; there was no room for her to reach mace-sama.

She couldn't move; her feet cemented to the ground. The mere touch of his lips was sending spikes of electricity straight to her head. She had to do something. He was going to say it and she did not want to hear him say it. Filia took her chances and managed to squeeze herself to turn around but it was too late. By the time she did he had already made his attack.

"That's right, it was **love**." He was baring teeth now. His face resembled that of a Cheshire cat. It wasn't a warm comforting smile that you give a child or a warm greeting you would show a friend. This was the kind of smile that was cold and cruel. She didn't like the way he said love. He made it sound dirty and troublesome. As if he was comparing her to something that was dirty and troublesome.

He relished in the misery that poured out from her but the quick change to anger was a welcome delight.

"That's right Xellos; I am completely in love with you."

"What?" Xellos was now taken aback.

"Why bother containing it anymore? Cat's out of the bag, although I am a bit disappointed it had to come from your new **toy**." Filia pressed, this time taking a step forward. She wanted to make sure he heard the contempt as she spit out the word. No one would **ever** view her son like that. But she couldn't give in to anger that's not what this was about. This was about winning. Anger would only fuel him and fulfill him. Now she wanted his suffering; **that** would be her fulfillment. She made sure to lace every sickening phrase with nothing but love and cheer.

"Wait-" Xellos felt trapped now. He took a step back. He could have sworn he felt anger. He did. So why was happiness now flooding the room?

"And now that I know you feel the same way, we can end this pretense and get married." She reached out, getting ahold of his hand and crushing it between her hands and breasts.

"Married!?" He felt sick now, his stomach turning in knots

"I'm so happy Val will finally have a father!" she sang. "You have no idea how hard it is to date as a single mother."

"Father?" He was getting ready to pass out now, his head felt cloudy.

"And then when Val is all grown up and left the nest, WE CAN LIVE HAPPILY. EVER. AFTER."

THUD!

Filia didn't care how smug she felt. She had won. The groaning priest on the floor had proven it. With a gleeful squeal she hopped over his body and skipped up the stairs,

"Val, time for school!"


End file.
